


The Devil in His Eyes

by acclaimedwriter



Category: Casualty (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23083867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acclaimedwriter/pseuds/acclaimedwriter
Summary: **ON HOLD** When Charlie discovers Louis, his son, isn't the boy he thought he was, Charlie makes a decision that will change his life forever. [Contains scenes of sexual assault and attempted rape]
Relationships: Lisa "Duffy" Duffin/Charlie Fairhead
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

It had been four days since his heart attack, forty-eight hours after he discharged himself against medical advice and gone home. Duffy had insisted on looking after him when he was home and he’d accepted. Mainly so he could question why she was even in England again. It wasn’t exactly round the corner from New Zealand, was it?

He could only assume she’d fallen out with Ryan and had done her usual tactic of running away. She always did that. He didn’t know how to broach the subject of why she’d arrived home but he knew eventually, she’d talk to him. He was sat on the sofa, Duffy fussing around him as usual although she had been unusual quiet and a little distant than normal. 

She was stood by the sink, in the kitchen staring out of the window. Her hands clasped around a mug of tea.

_It was late and she was sat on the sofa. Charlie was asleep upstairs and she was just about to call it a night herself when Louis joined her in the room. He was drunk, it was clear he was by his eyes. She knew all about his drug addiction, Charlie had mentioned it briefly in a letter but she’d hoped he hadn’t gone back on the drugs. Charlie was fragile right now, he needed to heal. Not have something that could kill him instantly, which the drugs would do._

_“Are you okay?” She asked. Louis nodded. He was ok, wasn’t he? He was sat facing Duffy and she turned to meet his gaze for a moment. He moved closer to her but she didn’t think anything of it._

Duffy jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder and dropped the mug against the counter. The mug cracked into pieces and she sighed.

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Charlie said as he switched on the kettle. Duffy began to gather up the pieces and moved towards the bin, disposing the shards of China. 

“You should be resting.”

“I’m perfectly capable of making a cup of tea.” Charlie answered back. It was hardly a strenuous activity was it? “Do you want one?”

She shook her head, noticing her hand was shaking. She took a deep breath and answered. “No, I’m ok. Will you sit down and I’ll make you the cup of tea?”

“On one condition.” He answered as he turned and lent against the counter. She caught his eye,

“What’s that?”

“That you’ll sit down and tell me what the matter is?”

Duffy frowned, “There isn’t anything wrong.” She tried to find a distraction. Something to do, to stop him from questioning her. Although if she was honest, she knew it was pointless to lie to Charlie. He could read her like a book. 

“I’m just... going to head to the bathroom.” She left the kitchen before Charlie could protest and headed for the stairs. Getting upstairs, she passed Louis along the hall, her breathing quickening slightly before she locked herself in the bathroom. Sitting on the floor, her back against the door, she brought her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

_Duffy lent forward to place her mug on the table and froze when she felt fingers stroke against her hip. She swallowed and coughed, trying to think it was an accident and he hadn’t actually meant to do it. As she lent back against the sofa, Duffy was about to say something when she felt his hand on her thigh. She swallowed hard again.... shit._

She put a hand over her mouth as she began to cry, trying to silence the sobs. She didn’t know what to do, just seeing him made her feel sick. There was a knock on the door and she took a deep breath in, trying to stop herself from crying but unable too. She choked on her tears.

“Duffy, what’s wrong?”

Charlie. God, he’d hate her. He’d hate her if he found out. He’d say she brought it on herself, probably gave him the wrong signals. 

“I’m fine,” she answered back although her tears and the croak of her voice told a different story. There was movement from outside the door and Charlie sat down.

“No you’re not fine. What’s wrong?”

Duffy didn’t answer his question. She hoped that if she didn’t answer, he wouldn’t probe any further but it didn’t work.

“Is it Ryan? Has he done something to hurt you?”

She shook her head, wiping the tears with the back of her hands. It wasn’t Ryan, not this time.

“Leave me alone Charlie, please..” She burst out crying again and Charlie sighed. He couldn’t leave her in her obvious state of distress but if she didn’t want his comfort, what else could he do? He sighed once more as he got up from the floor. 

“You know where I am, when you’re ready to talk.” His footsteps descended down the hall and away from the bathroom and she continued to sob. She couldn’t tell him. Not now, not ever.

_She couldn’t understand why she didn’t pull away straight away as soon as their lips met and Louis hand began to undo the buttons on her blouse. It was a couple of seconds later that she came to her senses and snapped out of the daze she was in. She pushed him away forcefully and scrambled to her feet._

_“No! No!” She ran out of the room and to the bathroom. Sitting behind the door, she took a moment to reflect what the fuck had gone on. Did he really just try it on with her? Did Louis really just kiss her?_

An hour later, she stood up and wiped her tears away. She unlocked the door and stepped into the hall, the familiar sound of music coming from Louis’ bedroom. She closed her eyes and swallowed as she moved past his bedroom to head downstairs. Duffy felt sick, she needed air. She needed to get away from inside the house. She went into the garden, sitting on the floor beneath the window, in her own little world. She felt the slight movement of someone sitting next to her and she turned her attention to the figure.

“Before you ask, I’m ok.”

“That’s why you’ve locked yourself in the bathroom for an hour?”

Duffy sighed. She fiddled with her hands that had rested in her lap. Her chest began to feel tight and she tried to secretly control her breathing so Charlie didn’t get worried or suspicious. 

“I need to tell you something.”

“Ok.” Charlie tried to reach for her hand. To comfort her, reassure her but she moved slightly away from him, almost like she couldn’t bare to be touched. Charlie’s mind went into overdrive, what had Ryan done to her to make her so distant?

“What’s Ryan done to you?” 

She didn’t answer straight away which only made Charlie more suspicious. “What did he do?”

“It wasn’t Ryan..” she answered weakly. She swallowed hard, desperate to get rid of the feeling of nausea she could feel coiling around her insides. She closed her eyes for a moment, desperate to stop herself from throwing up.

“It’s—-“ she was about to say something when Louis arrived at the back door.

“How cosy,” he commented before continued, “I’m going out, I’m not sure what time I’ll be back.”

“Alright, see you later.” Charlie answered, knowing not to pry too much into Louis’ life or business. It would just result in an argument and he didn’t have the energy for that. There was a silence before Duffy heard the front door close. 

“You were saying?” Charlie probed again, knowing he was close to getting her to reveal what the matter was.

Duffy shook her head and stood up, “oh it’s nothing, it’s ok.”

She headed back into the house, leaving Charlie feeling more confused about what Duffy was hiding from him. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic deals with sexual assault and attempted rape. Please keep yourself safe!

She was still distant, preoccupied and on edge, a few days after but she was still refusing to reveal to Charlie the exact reasons for her change in behaviour. 

He didn’t really know what to do. He’d tried the whole giving her space and hoping she’d talk but it wasn’t working. On the other hand, he could push her to talk and face her temper and he wasn’t sure that was an ideal route either. Still, he knew she had to talk. Keeping whatever it was bottled up inside wasn’t great for her. 

She was in the kitchen again. Sat at the table, tapping her fingers against the mug, once again lost in thought. She looked up as Charlie entered the room and greeted him with a small smile. There was a comfortable silence between the two, “Charlie?”

“Yes?”

She continued to tap her fingers against the mug, “I think I’m going to go back to the flat.” 

He frowned, “the flat?” 

She nodded. Another secret she was hiding from Charlie. The fact she rented a flat whilst working in England and that her visit home hadn’t been the first. She finished the liquid in the mug.

“I’ve been in England for a few months. Renting a flat was cheaper than staying in a hotel in the long run.” She stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor. She moved to the sink to wash her mug out when she felt Charlie moved behind her.

“Please tell me what’s wrong?”

They were best friends. They always shared everything so why was she holding something back? What was it that worried her so much? He knew following his heart attack the dynamics in their relationship had changed. All those unspoken words and unresolved feelings were bubbling under the surface, ready for them to discuss but they couldn’t. It never seemed the right time or place. He placed his hands on her shoulder and she closed her eyes and swallowed.

“Please Charlie,” she whispered. His hands began to massage her shoulders and she relaxed into him. He continued to massage her shoulders before she turned around. She lent up and kissed his cheek.

“I will tell you Charlie but you need to give me time.” She whispered.

He nodded, understanding and accepting her words. That she would talk but only when she was ready to talk. No amount of pushing her to discuss what was on her mind, was going to get her to open up any sooner. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, “ok.”

He removed his hands from her shoulders and moved away slightly. She held his gaze for a moment before she moved away. 

_She sighed as she entered the kitchen and found him, sat there, bleeding all over the kitchen floor and table. She hadn’t even had to ask what happened, she knew he’d got into trouble with someone. Without another word, she grabbed the first aid kit from the cupboard and sat down in front of him._

_“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t bleed all over my kitchen floor.”_

_Louis didn’t say anything, a cut on his lip caused him to wince every time he tried to speak. Duffy opened the first aid kit and took out an antiseptic wipe. Tearing the corners, she took the wipe out and warned him._

_“This might sting a little,” she gently dabbed at the cut on his lip. He swore. Fuck, she wasn’t kidding when she said it stung. “What is it this time Louis, drugs again?”_

_He mumbled something incoherently and nodded. Duffy sighed and continued to clean him up, tending to the wounds and the cuts she could see. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”_

_Louis shook his head but remained mostly in silence. Duffy sighed, what had she become involved in?_

Duffy had moved to the kettle and switched it on. Grabbing two fresh mugs. There was a comfortable silence between the two of them, as the kettle boiled. She began to busy herself making them both a cup of tea, even though Charlie hadn’t mentioned he’d wanted one. She placed the mug down on the table and slid it across to him, before she sat down opposite. With both hands around her mug, she embraced the warmth of the mug, her and Charlie every now and again catching each other’s gaze. After meeting his eye for the forth time, Duffy laughed gently and fondly shook her head.

“Stop it!”

“What?” Charlie grinned, “I’m not doing anything!”

He laughed gently and she rolled her eyes playfully. She sipped her tea and laughed gently when she met his eye again.

“Stop staring at me.”

“You’re looking at me.”

“I’m not.”

“Are!”

“Not.”

They both laughed. Duffy put her mug down on the table and continued to cradle it in her hands. She’d missed this, having his company, feeling content. Her eyes welled with tears when she reflected on what she could’ve lost. She could’ve lost her best friend and the only man she’d ever loved. Charlie frowned as he looked up and noticed Duffy’s eyes filling with tears. He reached forward and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, “I was.. just thinking.” A stray tear rolled down her cheek and she was about to brush it away when Charlie did, with his thumb. She smiled sadly, swallowing the lump in the back of her throat. The enormity of the situation was beginning to hit her, especially the more they spent time in each other’s company. 

“You died Charlie....” she whispered as another tear rolled down her cheek. Followed by another until she couldn’t control them. He sighed sadly, moved from the table and crouched down in front of her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, allowing her to sob against his shoulder.

“Ssh, I’m ok aren’t I?”

She was crying over everything. Almost losing Charlie, her broken and loveless marriage to Ryan and what had happened between her and Louis. She sobbed for ages, just allowing him to hold her and comfort her as best he could. She gripped his shirt tightly in her hand and whispered, “Louis.”

“What about Louis?”

“He... He...” She closed her eyes, her hand tightening against his shirt. He pulled back a little and found her eyes with his own. 

“Has he hurt you?”

She didn’t answer and he placed his hands either side of her face, keeping her gaze. “Did he hurt you?” He repeated. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic deals with sexual assault and attempted rape. Please keep yourself safe!

It seemed like an eternity before Duffy spoke again. The emotion clear in her throat as she answered Charlie’s question.

“He.... he came ... onto me. Kissed me. I’m s... sorry Ch...Charlie.”

She was full on sobbing now, her body shaking through the intensity of the sobs. He moved his hands from her cheeks and wrapped them back around her, one hand rubbing her back. There was nothing spoken as Duffy tried to calm herself down. Eventually she stopped crying, loosening her grip on Charlie’s shirt. Charlie didn’t know what to say or do. His son had done this to her, his own flesh and blood. He pulled away and found her eye again.

“I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Where are you going?”

He kissed the top of her head and pulled away, “to find Louis.”

Duffy placed her hand on his arm, “please don’t do anything you’ll regret, Charlie. He’s still your son.”

“I’ll be ok.” He reassured. He left and Duffy remained sat at the table, her head in her hands. She shouldn’t have said anything, she’d just made the situation a hundred times worse than it needed to be. She heard the front door open and slam close a short while later and hoped it was Charlie returning.

“Charlie?”

“It’s me.” Louis called from the hall as he hung up his coat. He came into the hall and Duffy swallowed as she stood up from the table. She could feel the atmosphere between the two, the coldness running down her spine. Her heart started to beat faster. 

“Your father went out looking for you.”

“Oh did he?” Louis took a step closer to her and Duffy backed away, instantly colliding with the kitchen counter. He continued to move towards her, before he stopped in front of her.

“You haven’t told him, have you?”

Duffy didn’t answer, she swallowed hard instead and closed her eyes as Louis’ hand came to rest against her cheek.

“I take that as a yes.” 

Louis other hand began to undo the buttons on her blouse and she shook her head. 

“Please Louis...” she begged. She knew she needed to get him off her but she was frozen in fear. She couldn’t fight him, her brain wouldn’t let her move.

“Ssh.” His thumb ran over her lower lip as he undid the forth button of her blouse. A split second later, Louis stumbled backwards as Duffy kicked him in the shin. She tried to get past him but he grabbed her arm and pinned her to the table, her arm behind her back.

“You’re very feisty. A bit too feisty for my liking.” He commented as his hand reached around to the front of her jeans. 

Trapped against the table and feeling Louis behind her, Duffy began to cry quietly. Not again... please not again. She couldn’t fight him, he was too strong.

“Bitches like you need to be taught a lesson. Dad needs to be taught a lesson too.” 

He undid the button of her jeans and Duffy closed her eyes tightly. Why wouldn’t she wake up? Was this really happening? Was the boy she always considered another son about to rape her? 

“Please Louis.”

“Shut up!!” He hissed as he pushed her jeans from her hips. She tried moving but Louis’ grip tightened around her waist and she could feel herself bruising. She closed her eyes as she heard his zip.

_She’s never wanted to scream or move so much but her body wasn’t playing. Was this what they meant when they said your body froze during times of trauma? Her mind was screaming to stop, to move but she still lay there, trying to do anything she could to distract herself._

She wanted to throw up, the sickness twisting around her insides. She banged her head against the table slightly. Wake up, wake up! Inside she was screaming but nothing was coming out. She was frozen again. Just as frozen as she’d been first time round when some sick bastard took advantage of her. She banged her head against the table again, in a desperate attempt to knock herself out so she didn’t have to be subjected to the trauma again. As she did though, Duffy was unaware that Louis’ grip had loosened on her.

“What the fuck are you doing, Louis?” 

Duffy was still over the table at this point, not moving, completely frozen. Louis shrugged as he pulled up his pants, “just having some fun.”

He was about to zip himself back up when he was thrown against the counter and choked, Charlie’s hand around his throat. 

“Fun? You were about to rape her!!”

Charlie heard the lock slide on the toilet door and then Duffy throwing up. His grip tightened around Louis’ throat and Louis tried to get Charlie off him.

“D....ad!” 

Charlie choked him within an inch of his life and then released his grip from Louis’ throat throwing him to the floor. 

“Get out of my sight and my house, before I really lose my temper!” 

Duffy was staring at the toilet, her knees tucked under her chin. Her nails were scratching her skin as she listened to the commotion between Charlie and Louis. She threw up in the toilet, even his name made her sick to her stomach. She heard the front door slam shut and got scared, her heart beating faster again inside her chest. Duffy heard footsteps stop outside the toilet door, followed by a gentle knock on the door.

“Darling it’s me, he’s gone.”

Silence, no answer. Charlie sighed sadly and sat outside the toilet door. He felt sick at what he’d walked into. He couldn’t help but think if he’d come home five or ten minutes later what might have happened.

Duffy heard him but couldn’t speak. She looked down at the small scratch marks on her arms and wrapped her arms around herself. All she wanted was a cuddle. She also knew she needed to leave at some point. She needed - wanted a bath, she needed to be clean. She didn’t feel very clean right now, haunted by the memories of her previous trauma.

Duffy found herself retching and Charlie sighed. He wanted to protect her, to hold her and tell her it was going to be ok. But how could he? It wasn’t a stranger who hurt her this time, it was his own flesh and blood. His own son. Charlie rubbed the back of his neck feeling utterly hopeless. 

He didn’t keep track of how long they’d both been sat in silence when the sound of the toilet door opening broke the silence between the two. Duffy swallowed as she came out of the toilet.

“Need a bath.” She stated without making eye contact, stepped over Charlie and ran up the stairs. She locked herself in the bathroom. Charlie knew Duffy needed to come to terms and process what had happened to her but he also wished she didn’t do it alone. Doing it alone and keeping it bottled up wasn’t a healthy mechanism and it was what she’d done last time.

She sat in the bath, the water submerging her. The heat of the water, burning her skin. Duffy hated the fact she’d been so weak. Once again she’d been unable to fight back because her body froze and let her down. She picked up the nail brush and began to use it against her skin, the bristles scratching their way through her flesh. It hurt. The roughness of the bristles against the warmth of her skin caused her skin to appear a lot redder than normal after a bath but it was also the only way she could ensure she was clean. 

Duffy cleaned herself throughly, washing herself twice before she pulled the plug and got out. Some parts of her body, for example her inner thighs, were beginning to bleed a little from the intensity of the scrubbing. She got dressed into her pyjamas, crawled into bed and cried herself to sleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic deals with sexual assault and attempted rape. Please keep yourself safe!

The day after Louis assault, Duffy stayed in the bedroom. She just lay on her side on the bed, staring absently at the wall. Charlie gently tried to encourage her to come out and talk about what had happened but she refused to both come out and talk. Charlie felt helpless. He knew there was nothing he could say or do, that could possibly help with the situation right now. He kept leaving her food, small amounts of her favourite food outside the door in the hope she’d come out and eat but she didn’t. She hid herself away, curled up in a ball. As she lay on her side, she hugged the pillow tightly to her. Duffy wanted to be held but she was too scared of letting Charlie close. She yawned, she was tired. She had a very restless night, her mind haunted. She’d woken up in a panic once or twice and in the end, realised it was better to stay awake. There was a knock on the door. 

“Duffy?”

No answer. She’d give him ten out of ten for perseverance. 

“You need to eat.”

 _Why, she thought, so I can throw it back up?_ She began to play with the sleeves of her jumper, a comfortable, if not slightly tense, silence between the two of them.

“I...” Charlie trailed off. “ _I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you_.” He thought as his hands rested in his lap and he rested his head against the door. She moved from the bed and ended up mirroring Charlie’s actions on the other side of the door.

“I thought he was going to rape me. He _was_ going to rape me.” She said quietly as she swallowed the nausea that the words rape brought about. 

Charlie wasn’t sure if he should reply or allow her to talk freely without interruption. He decided on the latter. 

“I....” she sighed as she began to fiddle with her wedding ring. Even though her marriage to Ryan was over, she still wore her ring for some reason. It was something she’d not been able to get rid off, yet.

She began to cry and it broke Charlie’s heart. He moved, placing his hand against the door. All he wanted in the world was hold her. To make her feel safe and protected. He was about to ask if he could hold her when he heard the bedroom door unlock. Charlie stayed where he was allowing her to make the first move and be in control. She swallowed and moved, so Charlie could open the door - if he wished too.

Duffy moved, sitting at the bottom of the bed, her knees to her chest. She watched the door. Tears steaming down her face. Charlie didn’t open the door straight away, he left it a couple of minutes. He stood up from the floor and placed his hand on the door handle. He took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the bedroom. 

He closed the door behind him, turning his body and attention back to Duffy. He moved to sit down near her but not next to her because he didn’t want her to feel comfortable but close enough so she could feel his presence and comfort. Something Charlie knew Duffy needed right now. 

He moved his hand closer to her. Nothing exchanged between them. Both of them allowing the silence to grow. Duffy turned her head slightly as she watched Charlie’s hand move towards her and then stop, about half way between their bodies. She bit down on her lower lip and reached out, placing her hand over his. Charlie’s fingers entwined with hers and she didn’t say anything, her eyes closed, focusing on Charlie’s thumb stroking the back of her hand.

They still didn’t exchange a single word. They were together, their hands tightly entwined with the other. They were comfortable. For the moment Duffy didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to know - and feel, she wasn’t alone. 

An hour passed. Sixty minutes of them remaining in the same position. Duffy slowly moved closer to Charlie by a step or two, slowly closing the gap between the two of them. She still didn’t let go of Charlie’s hand and neither did Charlie.

“Talk to me?” He encouraged gently and Duffy exhaled. She always found Charlie easy to talk too but this time it was difficult. She could hardly talk about what had happened, could she?

“He won’t hurt you again, I promise.” 

She swallowed at his words. He really shouldn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.

“You can’t say that.” She whispered sadly. There was always the possibility Louis could hurt her again. Charlie couldn’t stop or control that from happening even if he wished he could. 

“I’m a bitch apparently.” She whispered so quietly than Charlie almost didn’t hear what she’d said. He shook his head. Duffy was anything but a bitch. She did not have a bad bone in her body.

Charlie didn’t speak. He squeezed her hand gently, alerting Duffy that he was still there. He was listening. She didn’t say anything else, just the comment about being a bitch according to Louis. She did however, move a little bit closer to Charlie again. 

“Will you hold me, please!” She begged quietly and Charlie looked up. Their eyes met briefly before he nodded and wrapped his arm around her, holding her closely to his chest. His other hand still attached to hers.

Resting her head against his chest, Duffy sighed contently. The familiar warmth and feel of his shirt against her cheek, made her feel so safe in his arms. Protected. The only place she’d ever felt secure in thirty odd years. He placed a delicate kiss to the top of her head and whispered.

“I promise you, Louis won’t ever hurt you again.”

She closed her eyes tightly, “please don’t make promises you can’t keep. He’s your son. I understand, ok?” 

Charlie sighed sadly. Louis may have been his son but after what he walked into, he knew he had to protect Duffy no matter what the cost. 

“I’m going to make this better.”

Duffy didn’t comment because she didn’t know how he was going to make this better. There wasn’t anything Charlie could do, was there? She fell asleep in his arms, her head still on his chest, their fingers interlocked. Charlie with great difficulty, not wanting to wake her up, picked her up and carried her to the bed. He tucked her up under the duvet and lay beside her. For a short while, he watched her sleep and was drifting off himself when she began to stir.

She rolled and faced him, her head rested against his chest, her hand clutching his shirt. Charlie smiled sadly and closed his eyes. Duffy slept better than the previous night, she didn’t have a nightmare and she assumed it was because she wasn’t alone - and she was safe. When she woke in the morning, she was disappointed to find Charlie wasn’t there. There was a note on the bedside table - three words and a kiss - _be back soon x_

She smiled and stroked the paper with her thumb, wondering where he’d got to this early in the morning.


End file.
